13-year-old with 168 IQ set to begin master’s programme at NYU

A 13-year-old boy from Long Island, New York, Joe Petraro-Hyppolite, is set to begin a master’s programme at New York University after completing an extraordinary series of academic milestones at a remarkably young age. Petraro-Hyppolite, who says he has an IQ of 168, has already obtained a high school diploma and completed university-level studies despite being only 13. According to CBS News, the teenager scored 1,590 on the SAT at the age of 10 and obtained his high school diploma when he was 11. He subsequently attended Louisiana State University, where he is currently working towards completing his undergraduate degree. He plans to graduate in May 2027 before beginning his master’s programme at NYU. Petraro-Hyppolite said his master’s programme would focus on sports management, with additional studies in kinesiology and biology. “My master’s is going to be sports management but other than [that] it’s also kinesiology and biology,” he said. Although he acknowledged feeling nervous about the next stage of his academic journey, the teenager said he was also excited about the opportunities ahead. “Yeah, I mean, who wouldn’t be? But then again, I am also excited, because new doors are opening,” he said. His age has also attracted attention from fellow university students. Petraro-Hyppolite said students sometimes react with surprise when they realise how young he is. His mother, Anne Petraro-Hyppolite, described his academic progress as surreal, particularly because her son was previously placed in special education classes after being diagnosed with Tourette syndrome. “It’s just surreal. When he graduated high school so young, it was surreal, but this is … everything he does is surreal. He just loves to learn. He is like a sponge,” she said. Despite his academic achievements, Petraro-Hyppolite said being gifted does not mean that everything comes naturally to him. “It’s not like I was shot out the womb knowing everything I know. I have to learn it once or twice. Then I’ll know,” he said. Outside academics, the teenager also volunteers at a nursing home in the Five Towns area of Long Island, where he helps residents. Petraro-Hyppolite said he eventually hopes to pursue a career in palaeontology. If he completes his master’s programme as planned, he could graduate at roughly the same time he becomes legally eligible to drive.